


Scars and Chances

by NebulaEyes



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angry Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Finds Out About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Author Is Sleep Deprived, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Betrayal, Dragons, Gwaine Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Heavy Angst, How Do I Tag, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Idiots in Love, Jealous Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Magic, Magic Revealed, Merlin Needs a Hug (Merlin), Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Pining Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Scar reveal, The Author Regrets Nothing, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26610670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebulaEyes/pseuds/NebulaEyes
Summary: The druids have grown tired on waiting for destiny to handle things, and they sensed it would involve either Emrys' death or Arthur's before magic is welcomed in Camelot, and they didn't want that. So, they gathered Merlin, Arthur, and the knights of the round table to reveal Merlin's magic in the simplest way possible. Through the memories of his scars. Afterwards, Arthur does not take it well and acts rashly. Will his reaction have severe consequences? Will he be able to fix what he's done? Is there any hope for him, Camelot, or Merlin? Read and Find out!
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 302





	1. Chapter 1

"So, how much further until we reach this...mysterious cave?" Gwaine asked as he sat down and munched on a piece of bread that Merlin had packed for the knights and Arthur.

"We're about a day, maybe a day and a half out." Arthur answered. "The reports came from the village we'll be visiting tomorrow, but it shouldn't take long to question them."

"Never quite realized how large Camelot is." Lancelot stated with a heavy sigh as he watched Merlin continue to put ingredients into the pot he was using to cook them dinner.

"Camelot had conquered a lot of other kingdoms even before Uther was king." Merlin stated as he began to stir the pot. "Uther fought to have Camelot and to take the throne. They were smaller kingdoms, and were no match for the army he built. There are ruins that we've passed, that you apparently have failed to notice. He had completely obliterated the castles and gained more land for Camelot."

"Very good, Merlin. Seems you're not a complete idiot, then." Arthur remarked. "However, Merlin, I would think you would recognize the way we're going."

"Ealdor." Merlin smiled. "The village we're going to is where my mother lives."

"Wait, we're going to meet Merlin's Mother?" Gwaine sputtered out after he finished choking on his bread at the revelation.

"Yes." Arthur nodded. "Lovely woman and very kind. She sent the letter that warned us about villagers being attracted to a cave nearby, but never returning. I also recently acquired Ealdor as a village under our protection and rule, so we are required to investigate this matter. Moreover, why are you nervous about meeting Merlin's mother, Gwaine?"

"Are you serious?" He scoffed. "We'll get to meet the woman responsible for raising Merlin! She taught him how to cook..."

"...no, she didn't." Merlin chuckled lightly. "My Mother tried her best, but she doesn't cook that well. She will for company, but it's often times too dry or there's too much liquid. So, I learned from others. People who would come and go, or sometimes from the women in the village. They were happy I wanted to learn to cook. Said it was about time that a man learned how to cook a proper meal." Merlin laughed at the memory, and the shock on their faces when he came to them. "I learned how to make a feast out of meager supplies, so...that's how I'm a good cook."

"Well, she's at least responsible for you being such a good person." Lancelot stated.

"AYE!" Gwaine laughed out brilliantly. "Now I really want to meet her. Someone who raised Merlin to sass the king!"

"No, she didn't do that either." Arthur said with a small smile. "She's a very patient woman and stubborn, too, but she wouldn't raise Merlin to sass me or my father when he ruled. That's all Merlin. You will all get the chance to meet her tomorrow."

"Supper is ready." Merlin called out as he started filling Arthur's bowl. After that, the knights dropped it, they ate, and promptly went to sleep, because Gwaine suggested the quicker they fall asleep, the quicker they get to meet Merlin's Mother.

* * *

The next day, when they arrived at Ealdor, Hunith was waiting for them. "Mother!" Merlin sighed as he hugged her. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too." She said as she gave him a tight hug. She then released the hug to look at the knights. "Now, let's see if I can get this right based on Merlin's descriptions. "You..." She pointed at Leon. "...are Sir Leon."

Leon nodded with a kind smile. "You don't have to call us Sir, My Lady. Just our names are fine. I'm sure Merlin does the same."

"Very well." She nodded with her own answering grin. "Now...you...must be Gwaine." Her grin widened. "He told me how you and the prince met, and your opinions on royalty at first."

"It was a hell of a meeting."

"Gwaine!" Lancelot scolded.

"Oh, no need for watching your tongues around me. Merlin has quite the mouth on him as well, and his uncle wasn't much better."

"Uncle?" Arthur asked. "I wasn't aware you had a brother, Hunith."

"Oh, then that's quite funny that you don't know." She laughed lightly. "Gaius is my older brother."

"Seriously?!" Arthur gawked.

Merlin narrowed his eyes at him. "You didn't know? That's how I was able to get into Camelot from Ealdor without any issue. I had family, not just in Camelot, but at the castle. Uther approved it and everything. It was the only way I was allowed in, considering Ealdor was so close to other kingdoms."

"Huh...that makes sense, actually." Arthur nodded.

"Good. Now...you...must be Lancelot." Hunith said as she pointed at Lancelot.

"Yes, I am. So...he's written about us?"

"Yes, quite a lot, in fact. He also drew me pictures of what the three of you look like." Arthur snorted out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Merlin asked.

"I'm just wondering what Gwaine must look like in a drawing of yours."

"Oh, well, I have them with me, actually." Hunith said as she reached into her bag. She pulled them out and handed the drawings to them.

"Holy shit!" Gwaine cursed. "It looks exactly like me!"

"Same here!" Lancelot said in wonder.

"They can't possibly look that accurate." Arthur rolled his eyes, before he leaned over to see Leon's portrait, and it looked exactly like the knight. The shading was perfect, and it was so lifelike, that Arthur wondered if it might come to life at any moment. "Wow...you never told us you could draw, Merlin."

"You never asked and it never came up. Come on. I should make us some dinner, and we can ask my mother about the cave."

"Fair enough." Arthur nodded before he handed the drawing back to Hunith.

Later, after dinner was prepared and everyone gathered around the dining table, Hunith clasped her hands as her lips transformed from a pleased smile and into a worried thin line. "The cave isn't too far from here. It's just west of here and in the forest. We've never really used it for anything before, but one day one of the villagers said he wanted to go and take a look, because he thought that he saw a glowing light coming from it. Ever since then, every other day, men and women have gone to look into the cave and they haven't come out. We've lost six adult villagers and two children. I wish I could've sent word sooner, but I wasn't sure if it was something to bother you with. Then, a friend of the family came by and warned us about the cave. I told him what was happening, and he suggested that I write to you."

"Is there any way we can talk to this...friend of the family?" Leon asked.

Hunith shook her head slowly. "I'm not quite certain that's a-" A knock at the door interrupted her, so she excused herself to see who was at it. They waited, heard some talking, and then Hunith came back, clearing her throat. "-well, he seems to think it's fine." She sat down and gestured for the man to sit near her.

"Thank you." The man said.

When Leon turned to look at him, his jaw dropped. "That's...the druid that helped me."

"Ah, Sir Leon. One of the knights of Camelot. Happy to see you are still well."

"Hunith...you are aware that Druids are sorcerers, correct?" Arthur asked carefully.

"This wasn't a recent friendship, if that's what you're trying to hint at. I'm not enchanted or anything, and the druids are a peaceful people when unprovoked. This man's name is Iseldir."

"Yes, and even when provoked, we rarely act in retaliation. There is only one who could command us to fight and we will follow without hesitation and that would be Emrys." Iseldir turned his gaze to Merlin and smiled. "Hello, Merlin. You've gotten unexpectedly taller."

Merlin rolled his eyes with a smile. "I told you I would get taller."

"That you did." He smiled in returned.

"Merlin...you know this druid?" Arthur asked.

"That's typically what it means to have a friend of the family, Princess." Gwaine remarked. "The family has befriended that person, and this is that person. So, is there anything you can tell us about the cave?"

Iseldir nodded with a heavy sigh. "The only thing I have noticed about the people that are entering the cave and never returning...is that these are people that have bullied, scorned, and abused Merlin since childhood. The two children, I believe, were taught to shun Merlin."

"What?!" The knights and Arthur shouted in shock.

"Merlin?!" Lancelot questioned in astonishment. "Who...WHY?!"

"Hunith, I have temporarily sealed the magic in the cave, so no one else will get kidnapped for at least five hours. If they're to know why, you know what I have to tell them. Merlin, you know what I have to tell them as well."

"I...but..." Merlin stuttered out in fear as he looked back and forth between Arthur and Iseldir. He then let out a resigned sigh as he lowered his head. "Okay. Yeah. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I just wish I did it on my own."

"Sometimes...Destiny and Fate have other plans, Merlin. You know this well. Now, if everyone wouldn't mind following me to my druid camp, we can further discuss-"

"-No, you tell us now. You, Hunith, and Merlin have a secret that we apparently don't know, and I need to know." Arthur demanded.

"Very well, King Arthur." Iseldir bowed politely. "Merlin is not a mere village boy, nor merely a king's servant, and he is more than a king. In a way, he is a God of the old religion. His name in the druid tongue is Emrys, and he IS the living embodiment of magic. Now that we're done with that forced confession of sorts, can we be on our way? More will be explained if you follow us."

No one moved an inch except for Merlin and Hunith, who joined Iseldir on his way out the door. "Why did you have to say that!"

"I highly doubt you were going to do it." Iseldir laughed as he fondly messed up Merlin's hair.

Once they left, the knights turned to look at their king, who for the world to see, was dumbfounded and as white as snow with how pale he was. "Sire?" Leon asked. "Did...did you know?"

"N-No...I...I had no idea. I...he has magic. IS magic. I...but...how can I believe the word of a druid. I...but...that's the same druid I delivered Mordred to, and...Merlin...he...never told me. He never told me anything about his magic. Why? Even after..." He looked to his knights with a lump in his throat that felt more like bile. "...did any of you know?"

"I found out by accident. It was Merlin who slayed the griffin. Not I." Lancelot confessed.

"I saw Merlin using magic the day we met, during that bar fight." Gwaine answered.

"I had no clue, Sire. What do you want to do?" Leon's tone spoke like a knight that would follow his king's order, but it also sounded as if he was hoping for a specific answer.

"I...I think we should learn more. If Iseldir says more will be explained, then I will hear what he has to say." Arthur's heart felt cold, betrayed, and so his features betrayed his emotions. "This will be treated as Merlin's trial."

"If you kill him, or try to kill him, Princess, I am not above committing treason for him." Gwaine growled.

"How would we know if you're not under his spell, Gwaine?" Arthur argued. "Let's go."

"He wouldn't bewitch any of us." Gwaine grumbled as he stormed past the king and out the door.

When all of the knights joined together, Arthur scowled at Merlin. "You have magic?!"

"Yes." Merlin nodded as he looked directly in the king's eyes.

"You didn't tell me?"

"When would a good time have been to tell you?!" Merlin shot back, but quickly schooled his features and shook his head. "Let's just get this over with. Can we go now, Iseldir?"

"Are you ready, Emrys?" Iseldir asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"I'll explain more about what I told you, to them, when we've reached the camp." The knights and Arthur followed the druid, Merlin, and Hunith.

When they reached the camp, everyone that had already lived in the camp stopped and stared in awe. Once Arthur appeared behind them, however, the mothers clutched their children and most of them scurried into their tents. "Why did they all run? Is it because of Merlin?" Gwaine asked.

"No, Sir Gwaine. It's because they're terrified of Arthur. He once led a raid with his father, and some that escaped that raid live here with us."

"Could Merlin persuade them to come out?" Lancelot questioned.

"He could. Every druid knows who Emrys is. We can feel him. The best way to describe it...is that since he IS magic, and we FEEL magic, then we feel his presence when he's near. It's hard to ignore and even harder to describe."

"Merlin, get them to come out." Arthur ordered.

"No." Merlin answered. "I will not. They are scared of you, and I will not have them stand in fear while your voice sounds like that."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't run you through for your betrayal?"

"Sire!" Leon scolded, which surprised the other knights and Arthur. "Keep in mind, he hasn't betrayed you in the slightest. You have no proof of betrayal, aside from him not telling you, and if I was in his shoes, seeing you react like this, I can't blame him in the slightest. You're treating him like a dead man, and ignoring everything he's done for you just as a servant, when he could just leave your services and be MORE among those with magic. You're not seeing with your heart. Please, I implore you, be calm and patient. You may react too rashly and grow to regret it later."

Arthur couldn't help it. He knew he sounded brash, but his heart had trusted Merlin so wholly and completely. He relied on Merlin's council more than the royal council. Merlin was his constant, and the only reason he was able to get through his father's death. "Fine." He spat out, and soon followed Iseldir to a tent. "How...are we all supposed to fit in there."

"Don't worry. We'll all be able to fit just fine." Iseldir smiled as he allowed Hunith and then Merlin in first.

The knights followed one by one and gawked at what they found. The tent was bigger on the inside. There were closed off sections that appeared to be other rooms, and there was so much color. There were reds, oranges, purples, blues, golds, and silvers. The flooring wasn't the ground, but several pillows and blankets stacked on top of each other. There were tables, books, chemistry sets, and to them it just seemed like the tent version of a castle. "Oh my goodness." Leon breathed out.

"We will be undisturbed entirely. These are my chambers so to speak. Now, Merlin already knows what we'll be doing, as I discussed it with him telepathically on the way over." Iseldir waved a hand at Merlin, who then nodded at him before he took his clothes off. Left in nothing but his small clothes, he waited until Iseldir held out a vile for him. "Drink this and every scar you have glamoured or healed will reappear and glow. Then, we will travel to the stories of your scars."

Merlin did as he was told and as soon as the liquid passed his lips, his entire body lit up with golden light, stunning the knights and Arthur. "Mate! What happened to ya?!" Gwaine exclaimed in what Arthur could've sworn was heartache, but he could've been wrong.

"The potion was enchanted to only show the scars he has gained since arriving to Camelot."

"There's nearly nothing of his skin left!" Lancelot cried out as he covered his mouth.

"Wait...those...are whip marks on his legs..." Leon's eyes widened before he slowly turned to look at his king.

"Arthur never whipped me." Merlin immediately said.

The knights seemed to sag in relief, but Arthur stared at Merlin's nearly naked body. The first thought he had when Merlin disrobed were a collection of thoughts that typically involved a bed, privacy, and intimate sounds. The second thought he had was how he could've let something like that happen to Merlin. The third thought he had was that since he had magic, lied to him, and therein lied to the entire kingdom of Camelot, that he deserved every scar that revealed itself. "When I say the spell, we'll be taken to the scars in chronological order, and I will not stop it for anything unless Emrys asks me to of his own free will. Not if someone asks him, too, but if he truly wants me to. Is that understood by everyone? I will also make it to where no one can harm each other. Your attacks will pass through as if the victim was a spirit and nothing more."

"We understand." Arthur nodded his head.

"Very well." Iseldir nodded once before he said a string of words in an ancient language, and everything went white.


	2. Chapter 2

_"How's your knee walking coming along?" Arthur was seen and heard asking Merlin, who was walking away, determinedly ignoring him. "Aw, don't run away!"_

_"From you?" Merlin said with an irritated voice after he stopped._

_"Oh, Thank God! I thought your were deaf as well as dumb."_

_"Look, I told you that you were an ass. I just didn't realize that you were a royal one." Merlin turned around and noticed the knights around Arthur. "Oh, what are you gonna do? You got your daddy's men to protect you?"_

_Arthur laughed with full amusement. "I could take you apart with one blow."_

_"I could take you apart with less than that."_

_Arthur pursed his lips in disbelief, but his face still showed signs of amusement. "Are you sure?" When Merlin rushed to take his jacket off, Arthur laughed once more before he threw a hand mace at Merlin. "Here you go, big man." Once Merlin picked it up, Arthur started swinging his. "Come on, then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth."_

_"Wow!" Merlin breathed out. "And how long have you been training to be a prat."_

_Arthur lowered his arm in disbelief. "You can't address me like that."_

_"Sorry." Merlin laughed out. "How long have you been training to be a prat..." Merlin trailed off as he gave a dramatic fake bow. "...My Lord."_

_Obviously irritated and through with Merlin's taunts, Arthur began the fight. It went on with Merlin's eyes glowing with each object he moved, and just when Merlin thought he won, Arthur beat him hard with a broom. When the knights were going to take him away, Arthur told them not to._

_The memory then briefly showed Gaius and Merlin's conversation about him being a monster or not, and they all saw the fresh red wounds on his back that Gaius had treated with a medicinally soaked wash cloth._

* * *

_"Get out." Arthur spat at Merlin._

_"I thought the king was a bit harsh."_

_"I don't need sympathy, Merlin. Especially not from you."_

_"But I did think he had a point."_

_"I ordered you to get out. Now LEAVE me!"_

_"I know what you think you're doing, and I know you think you're in love with Sophia-"_

_"-Who are YOU to tell ME what I'm thinking?!"_

_"I'm your friend."_

_"No, Merlin, you're my servant."_

_Merlin swallowed a lump in his throat before he continued on. "You don't know what you're doing. She's cast a spell on you. You're enchanted."_

_A woman's voice came in, and she was accompanied by an elderly looking man holding a staff much like hers. "I told you people would try and keep us apart._

_"I know." Arthur replied. "I won't let that happen."_

_"No, don't listen to her! She's controlling you!" Merlin urged._

_"We can elope together, get away from this place, these people."_

_"I saw you." Merlin said as he pointed an accusing finger at them. "I followed him. They're planning to sacrifice you."_

_The elderly man stepped forward. "You allow your servant...to talk to your guests this way?"_

_"I know what you're going to do, because I followed you to the lake and I heard everything!" He desperately turned to face Arthur. "You have to believe me!"_

_"Don't listen to him, Arthur." The woman spoke. "Let's go. Let's leave tonight."_

_"She's going to kill you. Sophia plans to sacrifice you to buy a life of immortality. If you go with her, you'll die!"_

_"I-I-It doesn't make sense. We're in love."_

_"They're magical beings!" Merlin shouted before he moved towards the elderly man. "Look at the writing on the staff!" When he reached for it, the man's eyes glowed red. "Look at his eyes. Look at him. Do you believe me now?" He turned to Arthur with desperation lacing every movement and tone. "Arthur, do you see?!"_

_Arthur turned towards Merlin with a murderous look, and hideously glowing red eyes just like the elderly man's. "I see everything!"_

_Merlin's eyes flashed with several different emotions in that one, but one of the most prominent ones was heartbreak. He looked at the magical beings and started to run after them, but the elderly man hissed a spell, and a bolt of light was shot from the staff until it struck Merlin, and eventually pushed Merlin against the wall with a loud thud. Arthur didn't even blink as he took Sophia's hand and left Merlin there._

_The memory blinked and it showed Gaius walking in and seeing Merlin's lifeless body. "Merlin! What happened to you?"_

_"Oh..." He groaned. "...it was Aulfric. Where's Arthur?" He asked as Gaius helped him up. "I have to go after him. What's that buzzing noise?"_

_"Careful, Merlin. You can barely stand up." Gaius warned as Merlin staggered to his feet._

_"I have to go."_

_"You can't, not in this state. You owe it to your powers that you survived this at all!"_

_"I'll be fine!" Merlin brushed off. "He needs me." He stated as if it were the simplest thing in the world._

_"Has that buzzing stopped?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Liar!"_

_"I have to go, Gaius. He'll die if I don't."_

_"The Sidhe are a vicious people. You must be careful."_

_"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Merlin smiled as he made his way towards the window._

_"Merlin, this way."_

_"Just testing."_

_The memory blinked and showed Merlin arriving at a lake where the elderly man was speaking in an ancient language while Sophia held her hand over the water in front of her. He looked for the staff, and once he found it, he spoke a singular word, commanding the staff to come to him. He then used the staff on the elderly man just before using it on Sophia._

_Once they were both gone, Merlin too off his jacket and rushed into the water. "Arthur! Arthur!" He called out the prince's name many times and searched the water but found nothing. Eventually, he dove down deep into the water as far as he could go until he found Arthur's unconscious form, and pulled Arthur out of the water, holding him tight to his chest._

_Once again, the memory blinked and it showed Merlin and Gaius watching over Arthur, who began to wake up. "Arthur?" Merlin asked gently._

_"What happened?" Arthur asked with a groggy voice. "Where am I?"_

_"Can you remember anything?" Merlin questioned carefully._

_Arthur tried to get up, but it proved to be an awful idea as he quickly had to hold his hand to his head. "Oh, oh, my head." He stopped for a moment as he seemed to recall the events before his unconsciousness. "There was a girl. Sophia...she...I asked my father something about her. I asked him-" He immediately seemed to remember as he bolted upright in his bed. "What was I thinking?!"_

_"Well, we did wonder, especially when you eloped with her last night." Merlin said with his face turned to the floor._

_"I did WHAT?!" Arthur asked with a crack of bafflement in his voice._

_"Merlin had to bring you back to Camelot." Gaius 'confirmed'._

_"I don't recall any of this."_

_"Must've been some blow."_

_"WHAT. BLOW?!"_

_"Well, when I caught up with you I couldn't persuade you to return. You were beyond reason. So I had to make you."_

_"You managed to KNOCK ME OUT?"_

_"Yup. With a lump of wood."_

_"He only did it to bring you back safely."_

_"No one can know about this! Any of it!"_

* * *

_Merlin rushed up a set of old and ruined stairs while the voice of a woman could be heard loudly reciting something in another language. "Stop!" Merlin had shouted at the woman, who held a cup over Gaius' seemingly dead body._

_The woman looked at him with an unsure and slightly confused expression. "Back again so soon, Warlock?"_

_"What have you done?" Merlin asked with a slightly shaken voice._

_"Your mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?"_

_"Have you killed him?" Merlin questioned as he nodded his head towards Gaius._

_"It was his wish."_

_Merlin scoffed in rage and betrayal before he shouted, "I bid MY life for Arthur's! Not my mother's! Not Gaius'!"_

_"The old religion does not care WHO lives and WHO dies, only that the balance of the world is restored." She argued before she continued in a quieter tone. "To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this."_

_"It is NOT the old religion that has done this! It is you!"_

_"Come now..." She began with a confident twist of her lips. "...we are too valuable to each other to be enemies."_

_"No! I share NOTHING with you!" His voice bellowed and echoed across the isle._

_"With MY help, Arthur will become king." She replied._

_"I will make Arthur King, but you will never see that day." He spoke as if the sentence itself was a promise and he cast a spell at her, which she caught effortlessly._

_"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin. I am a priestess of the old religion." She circled her hand and created a fireball and shot it at Merlin with a single word. He managed to dodge in time as he looked out the corner of his eye at the destroyed wall. "You too are a creature of the old religion. You should join me."_

_"You think that I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic? Never!"_

_"So be it." She said as if her voice could shrug as well. She then shot another fireball at him, but he couldn't dodge it in time. She walked over to his burning chest and looked down at it as if it was just a stick or rock in her path. "Pity, we could've ruled the world." The burn she caused had burned through his clothes as it knocked him to the ground, and soon the smell of burnt flesh circulated on the wind._

_She walked away and Merlin's eyes slowly closed as the pain seemed to either ebb away, or his consciousness succumbed to it, but soon his eyes flashed open with an unsettling aura on the wind. An aura that made the wind itself feel like a consequence of her actions. He stood up with a steady glare at her, and it felt as if the ground would shake, if only Merlin asked it to. "You should not have killed my friend." His voice was almost not his own, yet it was still entirely Merlin. He raised a hand and called the clouds together with a fierce and vengeful gaze. When he slowly lowered his hand, he called forth lightning to strike her down and obliterate her where she stood. Once she was gone, he rushed to Gaius' side and shook him, calling out his name. When he didn't answer, Merlin shouted at the sky for his deviance before he clutched to Gaius' body tightly. Soon, however, he heard Gaius stirring and his head shot up with hope glimmering in his eyes._

_"Merlin?" Gaius asked in a slight haze as the rain poured on both of them._

_"Gaius." Once Merlin could see that Gaius was alive, he smiled as if he hadn't just smote a priestess of the old religion with a single wave of his hand. "Gaius, you're alive!"_

_"What did you do?"_

_"Nimueh's dead. The balance of the world..." He trailed off slightly and swift as if it just dawned on him how Gaius was alive. "...has been restored."_

_"You amaze me!" Gaius praised. "You...mastered the power of life and death itself! We'll make a great warlock of you yet!"_

_"So, you believe in me now?"_

_"Well...I...I would...do...if you...if you...could stop...this blasted RAIN!"_

* * *

_Merlin voiced a spell and something that had been flying towards him was reduced to crumbling stone. A few pieces cut at his hands and face, but he didn't care as he quickly moved to Arthur's unconscious body. "Who would've believed it?" A man's voice called out from the eerie nightly fog. "You, a sorcerer. And a powerful one."_

_"I won't let you hurt him!" Merlin declared as he remained knelt at Arthur's side._

_"And YOU'RE going to stop me?!" The man practically scoffed in disbelief._

_Merlin stood and faced him. "I'll stop you." He declared._

_"He does not deserve your loyalty. He treats you like a slave!"_

_"That's not true!" Merlin denied._

_"He cast you aside without a moment's thought."_

_"That doesn't matter." He shook his head defiantly._

_"But it must hurt so much. To be so...put upon, so overlooked, when all the while you have such power."_

_"That's the way it has to be." Merlin stated as if this fact was ingrained into his very soul._

_"Does it?" The man challenged. "You're YOUNG, Merlin. Look inside yourself, you've yet to discover your true power. I can help you." Merlin breathed in and out with wide eyes as if he was actually willing to listen to the man's attempt at persuading him. "Think, Merlin, to have the world appreciate your greatness. To have Arthur know you for what you are."_

_For a fraction of a moment, Merlin appeared to wish it, but he shook his head to shake the thought away. "That can never be."_

_"It can." The man promised. "If you join me. Together, we can rule over this land. Arthur will tremble at your voice. He will kneel at your feet."_

_A few seconds had passed before Merlin shook his head. "I don't want that."_

_"You'd rather be a servant?"_

_"Better to serve a good man than to rule with an evil one!" He spat out as if the thought of it now felt like venom to his heart._

_"So be it!" The man replied angrily after he took a steadying breath in. "If you will not join me, I will become you, and your power will be harnessed to my will." The man he had possessed felt to the ground with empty eyes wide open. Out of his mouth, there was a stream of blue, that one could only assume was the possessor's soul. It crawled up Merlin as he tried to recite a spell, but it entered his body, and Merlin fell to the ground._

_When Merlin opened his eyes, they went from their normal cornflower blue, to pitch black. He then struggled to finish the spell as he held his mouth of to a grey stone heart. As he finished the spell, the blue stream of soul left his body and soon filled up the heart in his hand. He stood when he heard Gaius call his name, and he walked forward. He played it off as if he had been possessed, but soon smiled as he held up the heart. A hug from Gaius as his only reward for saving Camelot that night._

* * *

_There was a crowd in the throne room, Gaius was dressed in far simpler clothes than normal, there was a man with thinning hair standing confidently and smug in front of Uther while guards were on either side of Gaius. "...You've betrayed me, Gaius. Betrayed your friends. But above all, you've betrayed yourself. By the laws of Camelot, I must sentence you...to death."_

_"The sorcerer will be PURGED of his magic by means of fire! He shall be burned at the stake tomorrow at dawn! Bare witness and heed this lesson!" The guards dragged Gaius away unkindly, and Merlin rushed forward towards the man with thinning hair._

_"You're a liar!" Merlin challenged, and Arthur leapt to his feet to grab Merlin without a second thought._

_"GUARDS!" Uther shouted while the man with thinning hair held up a hand to Merlin._

_As Arthur dragged Merlin away, he told the guards that he would handle it. Once they were in the dungeons, he pushed Merlin away. Merlin tried to punch him, but Arthur brought his arm around his back like he had the first day they had met, but this time, he also leaned Merlin against his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I know you're upset, and I know you're angry, it's all right. I'm not throwing you in jail."_

_"Then what ARE you doing?" Merlin asked with a heartbroken tone as he tried to ignore how his leg was bleeding from getting scratched along the metal of one of the bars that had unevenly stuck outward._

_Arthur pushed him away once again before he looked Merlin in the eyes. "I'm breaking the law." He stated without hesitation. He went to Gaius' cell and opened it up. "I can only give you a few minutes."_

_Merlin rushed in and wrapped his arms around Gaius. "They wouldn't let me see you! There was nothing I could do!"_

_"I know...I understand." Gaius attempted to reassure._

_When the embrace ended, they looked at each other. "I can't believe it. I can't believe Uther would do this to you."_

_"He'd no choice. Once Aredian found the amulet..."_

_"I didn't know you had such a thing."_

_"It isn't mine." Gaius shook his head with a furrowed brow._

_"Why'd you say it was?"_

_"I was trying to protect YOU."_

_Merlin seemed to piece it together with a regretful look on his face. "I don't know what to say."_

_"It's all right, Merlin. You don't have to say anything."_

_"Yeah I do." Merlin voiced as realization entered his eyes. "The amulet isn't mine, either."_

_"Then, how did it get there?"_

_"Aredian."_

_"Aredian?"_

_"There's no other explanation."_

_"But why?"_

_"It doesn't matter why. All that matters is, if I can prove it was planted, you're saved!"_

_Gaius grabbed Merlin's arm in panic. "No! You must let this go!"_

_"You're falsely accused. I have a chance to prove that. I must take that chance."_

_"No, Merlin, you must NOT."_

_"I don't understand." Merlin weakly said with a look of worried disbelief. "Do you WANT to die?"_

_"No..." Gaius answered. "...but neither do I want YOU to die, and die you surely will if you get too close to Aredian. He will trap you, Merlin. He will manipulate you, and without you ever meaning to, you will incriminate yourself."_

_"But-"_

_"You must..." Gaius urged once again. "...let this go."_

_The memory blinked to reveal Merlin standing in front of Uther with women behind him and an elderly man to the side. "Sire..." Merlin spoke confidently and respectfully. "...the witnesses saw nothing, but hallucinations..." He looked at Aredian, who attempted to glare at Merlin, but he would not be swayed so easily when wrong had been done in Camelot or to his friends. "...induced by the Belladonna in these eye-drops." He handed the vile to Uther, who looked at it accusingly._

_"And you bought this Belladonna from this man?" He asked the women behind Merlin. The women frantically nodded their head. "Where did you get it from?" He asked the elderly man to the side of Merlin. The man looked worriedly around the room, and Uther seemed to be sympathetic towards his reaction. "Don't be afraid. No harm will come to you here."_

_"The withcfinder, he gave them to me." The man answered and Aredian rolled his eyes in agitation._

_"Did he tell you what it was for?"_

_"No. Only that if I did not sell it, he'd have me burned at the stake."_

_"How do you answer to these accusations?" Uther asked Aredian._

_"They're absurd!" He laughed. "The boy has clearly concocted these lies, hoping to save his master."_

_"Then, you won't mind if we search your chambers?" Merlin dared._

_"SILENCE! You have no authority here!" Uther bellowed._

_"Father..." Arthur began as he stepped in between his father and Merlin, almost as if he knew nothing else, but how to protect Merlin from his father's ire. "...Let's settle this once and for all. If what Merlin says is wrong, he must bare the consequences." Arthur and Merlin looked each other in the eyes as if some sort of unspoken agreement was held in the span of three seconds. Arthur then turned to his father and continued, "But if there is some truth in what he says..."_

_Seconds ghosted by before Aredian claimed that he had nothing to hide. They all followed Aredian to his chambers, and the guards started tearing the place apart. "You're wasting your time!" Aredian claimed._

_"Cupboard over there." Arthur pointed out. Merlin appeared to wait in anticipation before someone opened the cupboard and soon nearly thirty amulet bracelets fell out. The shelf beneath that, there were several bottles of Belladonna eye-drops. "These things don't belong to ME!" Aredian nervously claimed as he rushed towards the cupboard. "This is a trick!" Aredian coughed as he tried to get closer to Merlin, but Arthur instinctively shifted more in front of Merlin as he began to draw his sword. "That BOY plots against me!" He continued to cough after Uther glared at Merlin, but Arthur kept his eyes trained on Aredian._

_After a toad leapt from his mouth, Uther whispered, "Sorcerer!" Aredian then grabbed a dagger and held Morgana captive. Uther urged him to try and rethink his actions, because he already wasn't going to leave Camelot alive. Merlin whispered a spell, his eyes glowed a liquid gold, and the dagger burned in Aredian's hand, the pain sending him backwards and out the window to his swift death._

_The memory blinked to reveal Merlin about to leave his room when he heard Uther's voice. "Gaius, I'm glad I found you here."_

_"As am I, My Lord. I never thought I would see these chambers again."_

_"If anything was damaged in the search, I'd be only too glad to replace it."_

_"You're very kind, my lord."_

_"Aredian...I can still scarcely believe that he was a sorcerer."_

_"Indeed." Merlin looked through the keyhole and saw that Gaius began moving books around. "Was there some reason you wished to see me?"_

_"Yes. I uh...I wanted to say I'm sorry if you suffered at his hands."_

_"But I did not suffer at HIS hands, Uther." Gaius said as he rounded the table to step closer to Uther. Closer than anyone had ever dared to step to the king, even Arthur. "I suffered at YOURS. He worked for you, my lord. He was merely following your orders."_

_"But I was deceived..."_

_"NO!" Gaius interrupted anything Uther might've said. "You were deceived long before Aredian, for you deceived yourself. You see foes where there are friends, you see sorcerers where there are but servants!" At his words, Uther began to actually look ashamed of himself. "I am not the first to be wrongly accused in your war against magic, and not all have been as lucky as I."_

_"I assure you, Gaius, every measure will be taken to make sure nothing like this will happen again."_

_Gaius nodded as if he accepted the answer he had been given. "I hope that is true." He replied slightly kinder, but still bitter from the events. "For all our sakes." Just when Uther appeared about to say something, Gaius stopped him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."_

* * *

_The dragon blew fire at Arthur, who dodged it well, but then he speared the dragon, causing the creature agony, and to use a giant claw against the prince, knocking him back. The fire he had blown was enough to knock Merlin back and to gain a cut on his neck from a broken piece of metal, likely off of one of the swords the knights attempted to use against the dragon. Merlin stood up and stepped forward. There was the echo of a voice from a man who was not there. Almost as if it was spoken to and became one with Merlin's own mind. It told him to find the voice that he and Kilgharrah share and to speak to him as kin._

_Soon, Merlin roared and shouted at Kilgharrah who had immediately begun to look ashamed under Merlin's voice, but soon, Merlin's voice became a hushed tone, as if to calm the great creature in the same manner a parent would their child when in the middle of an inconsolable upset. Merlin then reached down and picked up Arthur's spear. "I am the last of my kind, Merlin. Whatever wrongs I have done, do not make me responsible for the death of my noble breed." He pleaded as a human would for their life to be spared, because they have family at home._

_Merlin thrusted the spear at the dragon, causing Kilgharrah to flinch with a hiss of anticipated pain that never came. The dragon then furrowed his brow at Merlin, who still stood with a spear pointed at him. "Go! Leave! If you EVER attack Camelot again, I WILL kill you!" Merlin shouted as if the words themselves pained him, but it was also spoken with a surety that echoed with promise. The dragon bowed obediently before Merlin dropped the spear. "I have shown you mercy, now you must do the same to others!"_

_"Young Warlock, what you have shown, is what you will be. I will not forget your clemency. I'm sure our paths will cross again." He flew off, and Arthur roused himself out of unconsciousness just when the dragon had gone out of sight._

_"What happened?" Arthur asked as he propped himself up._

_"You dealt him a mortal blow."_

_"He's gone?"_

_"Yeah." Merlin nodded with a smile that was well faked. "You did it." The relieved laughter that escaped Arthur brought an honest and joyful glint to Merlin's eyes._

_After that, everything vanished in a slow flash of gold._


	3. Chapter 3

Everyone held their heads from the transfer from reality to memory and back again. "There were MANY more scars that we wanted to show you, but Emrys mentally asked us to show as few as possible. He wants to explain himself, if given the opportunity." Iseldir lifted himself off of the pillows and blankets and retrieved a vile filled with golden liquid. "Here, Emrys. Drink this." He said as he handed it to Merlin, whose body was still glowing brilliantly all over from every nick, scratch, cut, gash, scrape, and burn. "This will make it to where you can control the glamour again, but at the very least, you won't be glowing."

Merlin drank it, and coughed after it went down his throat. "That is disgusting!"

"I know." Iseldir sighed. "Most medicine is. Just don't ask what's in it. Now, King Arthur, knights, I believe this is the time for you to return to Camelot and discuss. Take Hunith with you. She deserves some time away from the village, and she'll be able to ease Emrys' anxiety." Iseldir recited a string of ancient words, and as the world shifted from reality to white and back again, they found themselves at Camelot's gate in the middle of the night, when it had just felt like a few minutes.

"Sire?" Leon questioned carefully as he gave a side glance to Merlin, who clung to Hunith like a lifeline.

Arthur couldn't shake it. Any of it. His best friend wasn't just a sorcerer, he was a warlock, and he wasn't even sure what that meant. Iseldir had said that Emrys was like a God to those who practice magic or had magic. He said that Merlin was...IS...magic. He couldn't feel anything, but cold and numbing betrayal. His heart ached, and there were so many things he had trusted Merlin with. There were many more things he had wanted to tell Merlin that he had never dared to tell anyone else in his life. Amidst the heartache that throbbed in his chest, he schooled his expression in the same manner he learned from his father, and he looked at his knights with a stern expression. "Take Merlin to the dungeons. Oh..." He looked to Merlin with a sneer, because he remembered what they had called him. "...excuse me...EMRYS. You've lied to me, your friends, Camelot, and it stops. We saw you for what you really are."

"Yeah..." Gwaine began, which made Merlin's fresh panic worsen. "...we did." He took off his cape, sword, and shield before he dropped all of them at Arthur's feet. Lancelot and Percival followed, and soon the three men were standing at Merlin's side. "He's given up everything for you. He has refused who knows HOW MANY sorcerers and sorceresses to stay by your side and be treated like dirt."

"He has never sought any credit." Lancelot stated coldly. "He gives the credit to others without a second thought. He gave me the credit for the griffin, even when I told him that I KNEW it wasn't me. That I HEARD him enchant the weapon I used against it."

"We're lucky knights, but we're not so lucky as to believe...especially now...that all of those fallen branches, rock slides, and fumbling bandits and enemies could be caused by nature or natural causes. He's been helping us, helping you, saving you, standing by your side...since the beginning. We won't help you repay that by throwing him in the dungeon, making him wonder if his...EX-Best Friend will burn him, cut off his head, hang him, or torture him." Percival, who had been silent for almost the entire trip, stood his ground near Merlin.

"Tr-Traitors! All of you! Leon! Gather the guards and throw the lot of them in the dungeon!" Arthur's heart ached even further. His own men. Commoners, that Merlin had vouched for, and who he let join his noble ranks of protectors and defenders of Camelot and all she stood for. They switched to Merlin's side so easily. They were never loyal to him, but to someone with magic.

"No, Sire, I cannot do that. I think you're unwell." Leon replied as he slowly made his way to Merlin's side as well.

"I'm not unwell!" He screamed, even though everything in his body told him he was. "Even if I WAS what would that matter?!"

"There's a secret and sacred knight's code, Arthur." Gwaine replied calmly, but everyone sensed it was a calmed rage for the sake of Merlin. "If three or more knights agree that their ruler is unwell, whether they be the heir, or the king and queen themselves, a knight can refuse an order given. Especially if more than three knights suspect their ruler is condemning an innocent individual."

"What the fuck would you know about a secret knights code, Gwaine?!"

"The fact that my father was a knight and a nobleman until he died in battle." He replied coldly as he slowly placed his hand on his sword. "Merlin is innocent, Arthur. I think you're blinded by-"

"Innocent?! He's a sorcerer, or a...a...warlock! Whatever! He has magic and has used it in Camelot! Wait...the...the sorcerer that was supposed to heal my father...that...that was you, wasn't it, Merlin."

"It was, but Morgana placed an amulet on your father that-"

"=You've betrayed me!" Everything in Arthur shouted at him to stop. His bones cried out as he rushed towards Merlin with speed that the other knights had never seen, and a crazed and desperate look on his face that showed a man beyond all reason. The knights tried to block him and protect Merlin, but Arthur dodged by sliding underneath their swords and he plunged his sword into Merlin's side.

As Merlin fell to his knees silently, save for the loud thump his body made on the grass, the knights looked at their fallen friend in horror. After a moment more, Gwaine and Lancelot rushed to hold Arthur down while Leon moved to his horse and grabbed the wrist shackles he always had to carry since Uther's reign, just in case they met someone they had to arrest while out. He just never thought he would use it on Arthur. "Arthur Pendragon, by the secret knights code, four knights have deemed you unwell, and you have murdered an innocent man without a trial. Under the knights code that was bestowed upon me by knighthood, I place you under arrest, and on full guard. We will have the physician look you over, and see what he determines of your condition."

"I'm FINE!" Arthur hissed as he thrashed about. "I'm perfectly fine! He betrayed us all! Don't you see?! He used magic!"

"HE USED IT ONLY FOR YOU, YOU FUCKING MORON!" Gwaine shouted. "DID YOU NOT SEE HIM GO THROUGH TORTURE, GIVE YOU THE CREDIT, AND JUST IMAGINE HOW SCARED HE MUST'VE BEEN THAT YOU WOULD REACT THAT VERY SAME WAY, BUT HE CHOSE TO USE HIS MAGIC FOR YOU ANYWAY, YOU GREAT GIT!"

"He...no." Arthur shook his head. "All sorcerers are evil, manipulating liars, and he..." Arthur looked at his sword that had dropped next to Merlin when Gwaine and Lancelot tackled him, and his eyes widened. "No! He used magic in Camelot! He-!"

"He used it for you, and you just killed the man that literally put your life above his own time and again." Percival stated as he lifted Merlin into his arms. "I suppose we now know he was wrong to do so, don't we, Sire?" Percival ran as fast as he could to Gaius' chambers while Leon and Gwaine wrestled with Arthur.

Interrupting their attempts to get Arthur under control, a loud roar was heard and heavy wings flapped overhead. "Young Pendragon!" A deep and ancient voice growled at him.

"Dr-Dragon! The...The...same one that...Merlin...sent away." Leon stated in awe. "You won't hurt us."

"No, Sir Leon, I will not hurt you, nor Gwaine, nor Lancelot, but the Young Pendragon is certainly questionable at the moment."

"Are you going to let him talk to me like that?!" Arthur growled at his knights.

"Yes, we will, because if us mere humans can't get you to see sense, perhaps someone that can literally kill you with a single breath, CAN." Gwaine roared.

"Thank you, Sir Gwaine." The dragon said with a bow. "Bring the Pendragon to the clearing where we fought. We will speak together there and away from Camelot's prying and worrying eyes." The dragon took off, and without hesitation, the knights did just that.

Once there, they noticed the dragon laying down like a dog would when they were patiently waiting for a human to give them orders, yet he did not appear ready to be given orders, but rather to GIVE them, instead. "Young Pendragon, are you aware what you've done?"

"I killed a sorcerer that's betrayed Camelot and killed my father." He stated proudly as he vehemently ignored the burning, twisting, wrong feeling in his soul.

"You are a foolish man, indeed. He always spoke on how foolish and idiotic he was, and I had hoped that part of his destiny would help you change, but apparently you've decided he will not have the chance to do so. Arthur Pendragon, he has NEVER betrayed Camelot. The only being he has ever betrayed has been me, and I have forgiven him, because I have also wronged him so many times. He had also poisoned the former Lady Morgana to save the entire kingdom when a spell was attached to her soul, and thus gaining her ire for as long as they both live. Never once has he ever betrayed you, Arthur. The druids and myself have basically told him that he IS magic, and this is true. He is the living embodiment of magic, but more than that...Merlin is a GOD of the old religion. He is worshiped, beloved, powerful, and those that have passed to Avalon, along with those that rule over Avalon have his favor. Well, all except your Father, whom I expect is VERY proud of his son killing the man that he owes his life to."

"Of COURSE you would take his side. He's your master! You're his PET!"

Kilgharrah growled low in his throat as he narrowed his golden eyes at the king. "Make no mistake, Young Pendragon, Merlin was a Dragonlord and could command me with his power, but it would be no more power than a brother advising another brother or kin advising kin to take action or stand down. I cannot refuse him, in truth, but he has never abused his power. I am not his pet and he is not my master. However, I do find it absolutely astonishing that you bring up pets and masters when you treated Merlin as such. Did you EVER think of him as a friend? Regard him with kindness? Say thank you to him and mean it? Ah, but I must remember who I'm talking to. A Pendragon BORN OF MAGIC, and whose father committed genocide against an entire race of people, and then moved on to burn anyone who so much as HEALED another person."

"What...are you talking about? Morgause was lying! Merlin said...Merlin..." Arthur's sure expression dropped as he looked to the ground. "...said." He then looked up at the dragon with confusion. "Why would he stop me from killing my father if it's true!"

"Because, he knew it would hurt you. As angry as you were, and as much as it filled his heart to know of your birth, he lied for you, because he knew it would later hurt your own heart. He knew you would experience regret. He didn't know when, but he knew you would."

"It...It CAN'T be true!"

"Oh?" The dragon began in amusement. "Then allow me to illuminate the subject for you all. I will show you the events that led up to your mother becoming pregnant, and you will see the truth of the matter." The dragon blew his breath on them, efficiently knocking them all out. He then made sure to send a mental link to Gaius. "Physician, I am taking Sir Leon, Sir Lancelot, Sir Gwaine, and the Young Pendragon to my lair where I will observe them. They are in a deep sleep and will remain so until the vision I have given them is over." With that, he picked Leona and Arthur up in one giant paw, and Lancelot and Gwaine in the other before he lifted off and headed for his mountain cave.


	4. Chapter 4

_Uther looked young. His hair a dirty blonde, his body fit and ready for any situation, his friends by his side at council, and his wife standing next to him. "May I ask why we've called for this council gentlemen?" Uther asked with a cheery tone._

_"Of course, Sire. You see, we've noticed that it has been nearly two years since you and the Queen have been married, and yet she has not become pregnant. We think the time has come to possibly think that she is infertile, and that you should either take on a mistress, or name a suitable heir."_

_Uther's anger flared, but he quickly swallowed it. "I wasn't aware that you were allowed to make decisions or suggestions on our lives."_

_"W-We're not, it's just...the people-"_

_"-The people love her." Uther interrupted coldly. "ALMOST as much as I. If she cannot bare a child, then that is something that we live with."_

_"Yes, Sire, but to keep the Pendragon name alive, you need an heir of some sort. A prince, or even a Princess! Preferably a prince, though."_

_"Do you think me a Moron, Sir Diligan?"_

_"N-No, Sire! I just merely-"_

_"-You just merely assumed that these were things I needed to be told, because you thought I was not aware of them. I will not take on a mistress, and I will not take a child from their born family. It is cruel!"_

_"What if they were to offer it to you?"_

_"It? You say that as if a child is an object! You should at least say 'them' if you will not choose to pick a gender to speak about. They will be a person! A person of MY kingdom! I will not accept such an offer, either. For all I know, they could do so, in hopes of climbing up in ranks, or gaining favor with me, and I will not allow someone to use their child in such a manner. If they truly do not want their child, then they should give them away to a family who cannot have children. A commoner family, or even one of my knights' families."_

_"If I may, Sire..." A woman's voice entered the room._

_"Nimueh!" Ygraine brightened at her arrival. "It's so good to see you! How was your mother?"_

_"Well." She bowed her head kindly. "Thank you, My Lady, for asking. Now, the idea I have, is a risky one. It's...It's also a very...um...one sided thing."_

_"How do you mean?" Uther questioned._

_"The Old Religion, as you well know, Sire, is about balance. The law of equal exchange is a great force in this idea. I could reach deep into the Old Religion as a high priestess, and I could both heal Ygraine AND make it to where she'll be able to bare a child, but this all must be done in the same night. You must bed her at least an hour after I preform this ceremony. However, there is a negative to this idea."_

_"Whatever it is, I'm sure Uther will pay it gladly to have a child!"_

_"I did not say you could speak!" Uther growled at a young man with black hair._

_"Brother..." Ygraine side in agitation. "...please." At that, her brother looked down in shame, and Ygraine turned her attention towards Nimueh. "Now, what is this negative condition?"_

_"To give a life, a life must be taken. The Old Religion does not CARE who lives and who dies, only that a life be given. As a High Priestess of the Old Religion, I DO possess the capability of suggesting to the Old Religion a life to take. However, the life has to be of equal measure. I cannot choose someone who is already dying, or a criminal. I have to choose someone who is as loved or who would be as loved as the life that is given. Otherwise, I will just be naming a name to the Old Religion, and it will fall on deaf ears."_

_"NO!" Ygraine shouted. "I forbid it!"_

_"Ygraine..." Uther began. "...with what she's offering, you could bare a child! You could be a mother, and the Pendragon line could continue!"_

_"I told you I did not think myself ready to be a mother ANYWAY after Gaius examined me and determined I cannot bare children. You said that I didn't have to be one." Ygraine furrowed her brow at Uther as tears rolled down her face._

_"Ygraine, please, be sensible. They have a point. If we do not name or have an heir, then everything we fought for would be lost. I do not want to NAME an Heir, nor do I want a mistress. I love YOU. Please, at least consider-"_

_"-I REFUSE!" She shouted before she repeated herself in a quieter tone. "I refuse...to make MY life or my future child's life more important than another's. I refuse to declare any life more important than my child, who would be born, because someone had died! That is my decision and it is FINAL!" With her final words echoing in the room, she stormed out and to her chambers._

_Eventually, Nimueh appeared and closed the door behind her. "Ygraine?"_

_Ygraine scoffed and rolled her eyes as she sat on her bed with the pillow clutched to her stomach. "What do you want, Nim?"_

_Nimueh smiled softly before she sat down next to her. "At least you're not too terribly mad at me. You always called me Nim after you've calmed down from too much emotion, whether it be happy, sad, or..."_

_"...Furious?" Ygraine offered her smile._

_"Yes." Nimueh smiled. "Oh, come here." She said as she held her arms open for Ygraine to fall into. Once Ygraine was in her arms, she wrapped them around her and started petting her hair. "There, there. I apologize. I hadn't meant to upset you. You know that, don't you?"_

_"I know. It's you who is seeing me. Not my husband."_

_"I'm sure he would be here if he wasn't convening with the rest of the council."_

_"Likely attempting to take you up on your offer behind my back, no doubt." She scoffed with a sniff._

_"It would take a force of nature for them to force my hand. I will refuse them to the best of my ability. I will not force my best friend to bare such a weight. That is why it was only a suggestion. Should you have agreed, then I would've done it gladly, and named MY life to be the one taken. Although, it would be highly unlikely they would take mine, seeing as I am one of few High Priestesses left."_

_"They WILL try and force you, Nimueh. I can sense it."_

_"Then I will fight them. You know that, Yanna."_

_Ygraine laughed at the name. "Now I know you really mean it. All of your best promises...always involve you calling me Yanna like you used to do when we were kids."_

_"Well, it's not MY fault that someone was given a difficult name I couldn't pronounce! Yanna fits you far better than Ygraine. Your given name sounds like something I'd buy at the market to store in my cupboard."_

_"God, I hate my name." Ygraine laughed. "Well, I feel better now. Go on, you have duties to preform as court sorceress, and from what I've heard, you even have a suitor lined up for you to meet."_

_"Ugh! Lord Balinor! A Dragonlord, a knight of Camelot, AND a Lord over some land in Camelot, given to him by Uther! No, thank you! I've also already spoken to him, and he's not interested in me either, but we're going to appear like we at least made an attempt."_

_"Have fun with that." Ygraine joked as Nimueh got up to leave._

_"I plan to. Maybe I'll turn him into a toad if I get too bored." They laughed before she shut the door._

_The memory blinked to reveal Ygraine unconscious, Nimueh wheezing on the floor on the side of the bed with whip marks, burn marks, and cuts on her stomach, back, and upper arms. "Please! Don't make me do...this!" She begged._

_"The Pendragon line MUST continue! In time, Ygraine will thank us." Uther declared. "Do not disobey me. You are the court sorcerer, and must obey my decision as a member of MY court!"_

_"She is my FRIEND! You don't understand what you're asking! I won't say or choose her name, and she is SO loved! If you force me to do this, and she becomes pregnant, then when she bares the child SHE WILL DIE!"_

_"Then you will pick a different name of someone that will be of equal measure!" Uther growled. "Or I will burn you at the pyre for treachery!"_

_"I won't! She wouldn't want that! Sire, I don't believe you're well! Please! I implore you to reconsider!"_

_"She cannot give me an heir, and I refuse to be unfaithful to her."_

_"THIS is unfaithful to her! She already TOLD YOU and TRUSTED YOU! She didn't want to do this! She didn't want anyone else to be named! She didn't want this!"_

_"She just doesn't understand yet. When she holds our child, she'll understand. She'll thank me."_

_"She WON'T thank you, because she'll be DEAD! The Old Religion will choose her! I will not name anyone!"_

_"Then, in not naming anyone, you will have killed her. Not the old religion!"_

_"That is NOT how it works!"_

_"You will do as I say..." Uther began as he held a sword to her throat, then to her belly. "...or YOU will be the one that won't be able to carry a child. Don't think I don't know what you've been up to with my knight, Sir Kinley. You refused Balinor, but you found passionate companionship with that man, didn't you?"_

_"Please, Sire! I don't care if I never have children! Don't force me to kill my best friend!"_

_"She won't die if you NAME SOMEONE ELSE!"_

_"I WON'T! IT IS NOT HER WISH!"_

_"Do it, sorceress! Do it, or I will have Sir Kinley's death look like a fatal accident in the forest by some monstrous beast!"_

_"You..." Nimueh looked up at him in horror. "...you're MAD! You're INSANE! You would kill one of your own knights, just because I refuse?"_

_"No, I will kill someone important to a traitor in my castle!"_

_"I am no traitor, Uther Pendragon! I am not the one going against my spouse's wishes! I am not willing to KILL a man for my own selfish pleasure!"_

_"Right, well, if you won't do it, then I guess Sir Kinley and I have some...hunting...to do." He sheathed his sword and began to leave the room._

_"WAIT! PLEASE!"_

_Uther turned and smiled menacingly at her. "That's a good girl. Do what it is you must."_

_"I'll...need the cup of life from my chambers."_

_"Funny, Gaius said you would need such an item, so I've already prepared it." He pulled the cup out of his satchel that he had with him. "Preform the ceremony. I'll watch."_

_Nimueh sobbed as she recited the words on her way to the window. Soon, rain clouds appeared overhead, and she held the cup out to be filled by it's water. She took it to Ygraine and poured the water into her mouth, watching with a broken sob as she swallowed it's liquid. "Th-There...it's done. Y-You must bed her within the hour, and she will be pregnant."_

_"You will see in time that this was for the best, Nimueh."_

_"You just murdered my best friend." Nimueh hissed at him through her tears._

_"YOU DIDN'T SAY A NAME?!" Uther growled._

_"I TOLD YOU I WOULDN'T!" She spat with pure venom in her voice._

_"If she dies, I will have you burned at the stake after many nights of torture."_

_"I'd like to see you try, Uther Pendragon!" She roared before she recited a heavy string of words, and soon her body was glowing. She then turned into a ball of red and purple light before she left the room._

_The memory blinked to Ygraine walking in the castle gardens with a hand on her belly and tears streaming down her face. Her belly was still flat, but it was obvious she knew what had happened. Interrupting her tears, was a black cat that meowed against her leg. "O-Oh..." She said as she wiped her tears away. "...hello little one. Where did you come from?"_

_Soon, the cat transformed into Nimueh, who wore a tattered red dress, and she was crying, too. "I'm s-so sorry, Yanna!"_

_"Hush, I know he forced you. I know you would've respected my wishes as much as possible. I do not blame you."_

_"Come with me, Ygraine! Yanna! Come with me! We can run away together, like we promised as kids. Come on! I can even teach you magic!"_

_"You know as well as I that Uther won't allow that. He will search and search for me. He will not stop. I do not consider him my husband anymore."_

_"Then...at least...let me do something for you. I...I can read destinies of everyone. Even unborn children. Let me foresee your child's destiny for you, please?"_

_"Do as you wish."_

_Nimueh nodded her head and placed her hands on Ygraine's belly. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath as the visions came to her. "I...I...I see a prophecy and the reason for the prophecy. Y-You WILL be the one to die when Arthur is born. The Old Religion will grant you some time to look upon and to name your child before they take you. Uther...will blame me, druids, and all who have magic...for your death rather than himself. He will commit genocide on the druids, and declare magic unlawful in Camelot. He will burn anyone who so much as entertains children with it. If ANYONE shows even a hint of magic, they will be killed. He will blame sorcerers and magic users for your death. The prophecy states...that your son...and a boy named Merlin, but also..." She gasped. "...Emrys...A God of the Old Religion! Together they will unite the lands of Albion! Together they will bring about a brand new age of magic and peace! Merlin will be magic incarnate, but to every druid and magic user of the old religion, he will be known as the most powerful warlock to walk the earth, because he will also be Emrys. He has a great destiny, but unfortunately, he will know many hardships. He will know sadness, sorrow, mourning, betrayal, grief, and heartache, but with Emrys by his side, he will also know humility, kindness, hope, forgiveness, trust, thoughtfulness, love, and humor. I see...that...he will befriend this Merlin rather quickly, and I see...a sort of...side note if you will...about Merlin. This Merlin...Emrys...will be the son of Balinor and...Hunith." Her eyes opened and she gasped once again as she took her hands away._

_"Hunith? Gaius' sister? My, that is something. Balinor is certainly a brave man." Ygraine laughed through her tears. "So, my son...will be a better man than his father. You said, 'Arthur'. It seems it revealed my son's name. I quite like that name."_

_"Yes, he'll be a better man, thanks to Emrys."_

_"I have an idea, Nimueh. You just transformed from a cat to yourself. Perhaps...I can pretend that I'm okay with Uther's decision and ask for him to have you...as a cat...as my companion since you vanished, and make it sound like I've been betrayed by you. We can talk as ourselves when he is in council meetings or away on missions."_

_"I like the sound of that." She nodded before she turned herself back into a cat._

_The memory blinked and briefly showed Ygraine holding Arthur before she died and Gaius had to take Arthur from her hands. Uther, in his rage, immediately declared magic outlawed and for the sorceress Nimueh to be found and executed immediately._

_After that, everything went white._


	5. Chapter 5

When the knights and Arthur awoke, they groaned for a moment, before they looked at the dragon, who had just finished roasting food for them to eat. "Ah, I see you've seen all there was to see of that. Here, I've caught, cleaned, and cooked food for all of you to eat. Flashbacks, especially that far back, often make one hungry."

"Where...are we?" Lancelot asked as he moved to eat a piece of the cooked boar Kilgharrah had cooked for them.

"We're in my lair. My cave. I found this land, and it's unnamed, unclaimed territory and thought it a fitting place to live. So, Young Pendragon, Merlin lied for you, so that you wouldn't kill your Father. He has done so much for you, never sought any credit, stood by your decisions, advised you when you were about to be more foolish than him, and he has taken your abuse everyday as you throw things at him, insult him, and give him more work than any servant has ever been given in the history of servants. He has lied, stolen, cheated, and killed for you. He lied about Ygraine's words, which were true, just so that you could still have one parent. He did that, so that your reign would not be built upon the death of your father by your hand. He did that, because he knew your heart, but you never cared about him to know his once his vulnerability, hope, and trust was laid bare before you."

"He..." Arthur began.

"...is a warlock, a God of the Old Religion, Emrys, a friend to many, and what was once an enemy to only one...was swiftly made an enemy to two. Morgana, who despised him for poisoning her, but more so for always being there for you unquestioningly. And you, who witnessed only a few of his sacrifices in your name and for you, and yet you deemed him a betrayer of trust, of your loyalty, of your friendship, and of Camelot. I understand heartache and betrayal all too well, Young Pendragon, but every action has a consequence. You killed your best friend in cold blood."

"No...I...I couldn't have."

"You ran him through!" Gwaine shouted. He didn't budge from his spot. As hungry as he felt, he didn't think he could stomach eating anything while Merlin was either dying or already dead. "We watched you! He instantly lost a lot of blood, and didn't look to be breathing when Percival took him!"

"He...but...he used magic...it...it was outlawed..."

"Yeah, by your father, who betrayed ALL of Camelot, a sorceress that USED to be kind, and USED to be your mother's friend, and he also betrayed your mother!" Lancelot agreed with a strict voice.

"You had the right of it, Young Pendragon, when you confronted your father." Kilgharrah took a claw and created a circle on the wall. He then blew a stream of blue and silver air onto the circle, creating an image. Soon, the image moved like the flashbacks, but differently. They weren't there as observers. They were watching it from different angles.

_"You were SO desperate for an heir, you were prepared to use magic."_

_"Did Morgause tell you this? She's lying."_

_"My Mother is dead, because of your selfishness and arrogance."_

_"No, that's not true, but Morgause would have you believe that."_

_"This is what fuels your hatred for those who practice magic. Rather than blame yourself for what you did, you blame them!"_

_"You believe a sorcerer's lies over the word of your own father? I can only think that Morgause has enchanted you."_

_"YOU have HUNTED her kind like ANIMALS! How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?!"_

_"Those who practice magic will stop at nothing to destroy us! I have only done what is necessary to protect this kingdom."_

_"You speak of HONOR and NOBILITY. You're nothing but a HYPOCRITE AND A LIAR!"_

_"I am your kind and your father. You will show me some respect."_

_Arthur threw his gauntlet down and demanded that Uther pick it up. Uther tried to get him to reconsider, but Arthur wouldn't budge. Uther said Arthur wouldn't strike him down and even challenged him to. They then eventually began to clash swords._

_Soon, Merlin bursted through the doors along with Sir Leon. "Arthur, don't! I know you don't want to do this!"_

_"My mother is DEAD because of him!"_

_"Killing your father won't bring her back. You've lost one parent. Do you really want to lose another?"_

_"Listen to him, Arthur." Uther urged, which only caused Arthur to dig the tip of his sword deeper into Uther's jerkin._

_"Arthur, please. Put the sword down."_

_"You HEARD what my mother said. After EVERYTHING he has done, do you believe he deserves to live? He executes those who use magic, when he has used it himself! You..." Arthur began to address Uther. "...have cause so much suffering and pain! I will put an end to that."_

_"Morgause...is lying." Merlin said with a confident voice, but his body language cried out against his words._

_The memory blinked and it showed Merlin walking into Arthur's room as Arthur stared meaningfully and thoughtfully out the window. "I am indebted to you, Merlin. I had become confused. It once again clear to me that those who practice magic are evil and dangerous, and that is thanks to you."_

_Even through the heartbroken expression that Arthur could not see, Merlin smiled. "Glad I could help."_

_The memory blinked once again and it showed Uther putting a book down in Gaius' chambers just as Merlin walked in. "My Lord." Merlin began._

_"I wanted to thank you in person for your actions yesterday. You are a loyal servant to Arthur. I am most grateful."_

_"I was just doing my duty."_

_"You've proven yourself to be a trusted ally in the fight against magic."_

_"Me?" Merlin whispered in pained disbelief._

_"Those who practice magic will seek to exploit Arthur's inexperience. They will attempt to corrupt him. You must be extra vigilant."_

_"I will keep my eyes peeled."_

_"I know you will." Uther walked away before he continued. "If you ever speak of what happened between myself and Arthur to another living soul, I will have you hanged."_

_"Right. Of course. Yes, My lord."_

_Uther left and Gaius entered. "Is that Uther I saw just leaving?"_

_"Yeah, he just popped in to say hello."_

_"Merlin, what did he want?"_

_"He wanted to thank me for being a trusted ally in the fight against magic." Merlin breathed in disbelief before he sat down._

_"How you've managed to keep that head on your shoulders is a mystery beyond our greatest minds."  
_

The memory circle vanished and became nothing more than a circle created by a dragon's claw. "Young Pendragon. You acted rashly and in a moment of emotional insanity that happens, albeit rarely, but it still happens...to those who experience many emotions at once and several that they cannot either process or handle. You killed your best friend in cold blood out of anger, frustration, jealousy, and confusion. All four of which, melted your mind for a time. When I forced you to pass out, I took the liberty of healing that from your mind. How do you feel?"

"I...I still feel betrayed. I...he never told me. All these years...even after my father had died...he never told me."

"Can you blame him?" Sir Leon asked. "You murdered him without even so much as a trial. At least your father PRETENDED to give sorcerers a trial."

"W-Wait..." Arthur began as he looked up at the dragon. "...you said...he was a God or something like that."

"Not SOMETHING like that, Young Pendragon, he IS. He is MAGIC INCARNATE. He is Emrys."

"O-Okay, then...I...I'm only a human man, I can't kill a God."

"Not by normal means, no. However, you used Excalibur. A weapon Merlin had me forge for you in my breath, so that you may sleigh immortal armies or undead foes. It is the only weapon that can kill him. If you had slain him with a mortal blade, he would recover in time. He is dead, Young Pendragon, and his blood is on your hands."

"H-How do...Can I...fix it?"

"The young Warlock is powerful. However, he cannot heal this wound alone. If a chip of the blade had broken off in him, he would need to be taken to the Sidhe. However, you made a clean cut, and your blade was unhindered. There is but one thing that can conquer all, even for him."

"What is it?"

"Love, Young Pendragon. Love. A true love's kiss, or an act of true love, will awaken his soul once more, but then the rest is up to him."

"What do you mean?"

"He would have to WANT to come back. He would have to want to return to the land of the living. His destiny was to remain by your side, and since it was such a great destiny, he'll have to want to continue it. Now, I will carry all of you back to Camelot, and I hope you act with calmer minds. Even you, knights of the round table. Your king has suffered, and has likely seen the error of his ways. He has seen it in SMALL detail, but has seen it nonetheless."

* * *

After they made it back to the castle, Arthur walked into Gaius' chambers. "With all do respect, Arthur, I don't think you should be here." Gaius warned with a low and dark tone.

"I...I was not in my right mind. It is no excuse. I...I was shown...some of what Merlin has done to me, but I was blinded by feelings of betrayal and jealousy..."

Gwaine came up behind him. "We never figured that one out, Princess. Jealousy of what?"

"The...The fact that you and Lancelot knew, and...I suspected...that you were in love with Merlin."

"You're telling me you feel the same for him, Arthur?" Gwaine asked with genuine astonishment.

"I...yes." He nodded.

"Could've fooled me." He scoffed before he turned to Gaius. "Gaius, I can't imagine how you must feel, but we've spoken with the great dragon, and he said that Arthur is Merlin's only hope of coming back. Please, allow him to try. After he tries, everything will be up to Merlin."

"What is he to try?"

"True Love's Kiss." Arthur answered.

Gaius seemed thoughtful for a moment after he turned to look at Merlin's bedroom door. "I...I was...going to give him a proper burial whenever Hunith could make it...and I haven't sent the letter out yet, but...if you can somehow bring him back, you can try. If he wakes up and he wants me to forgive you, then I will, but until then, I can't forgive you, Arthur."

"I understand." Arthur nodded before he walked into Merlin's room, and closed the door behind him. He sat down next to Merlin, who lay beneath a sheet fully covering his body and face. He took the sheet off of his face and ignored the tears that fell from his eyes, because he didn't deserve to cry over Merlin. "Merlin, I'm sorry. I don't know...if you can hear me...wherever you are...but...I'm sorry. I love you. I don't deserve you, and won't ever deserve you, and I cannot apologize enough to you, because words are not enough to describe...how I...betrayed...you." He sobbed as he pressed his forehead to Merlin's. He then kissed Merlin's lips as gently as he could. When he left them he whispered into Merlin's ear, "I accept you and all that you are. I will not ask for your forgiveness, because I don't deserve it. I vow to you that I will end the ban on magic, and I want to know everything only if you're willing to share. If you want to leave Camelot I will accept that as well. I would be honored to have you by my side again. If you refuse, I will accept that as well. I will mourn, but I will accept it. I love you...with all my heart."

He leaned back and waited a steady three minutes before he let out a shaky breath and made to leave. Just as he was about to open the door, he heard a breath behind him. "Does...that...mean..." He swiftly turned to face Merlin, who was looking at him with tear-stained cheeks. "...you'll actually give...me...a...day...off?"

"H-How about..." Arthur sniffled as he frantically made his way towards Merlin and wrapped his arms around the warlock. "...How about two?"

When Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur in return, Arthur felt a feeling of absolute completion and forgiveness he hadn't been aware he needed. "That's generous." Merlin whispered into his neck.

"Hey..." Arthur pulled away. "...I...I don't know how much you heard, but I promise to end the ban on magic. I...I also need a court sorcerer if you're interested. I don't want you to be my servant, but I don't JUST want you to be my court sorcerer, so before I forget...Will you marry me, Merlin?"

"Are you serious?" Merlin asked as his eyes searched Arthur's. "Oh my God, you are serious."

"An answer would be appreciated, Merlin."

"Um...uh...yes! I would! Like to! Yes, I would like to marry you, um...yes." He nodded, but then he stopped. "Wait...that...would make me..."

"...King." Arthur smiled. "You would be my king. Consider repealing the ban on magic my wedding present to you."

"Ah, well, I um...suppose I have a wedding gift to you as well. Everyone in Avalon was furious when you killed me, and they demanded I do something, but I chose to do nothing. Apparently...I could've ended your reign even from Avalon. I was really dead, Arthur. After I said no, they were even more furious, but this time at me. They couldn't believe that I wasn't mad, they couldn't believe that I would get back at you for you killing me. I said it wasn't right, and that I knew you weren't in your right mind. It was quite literally me against all of the great and important people or...I guess...Gods...of Avalon. So, we made a wager. They said that only true love's first kiss could save me, and should I want to continue my destiny, I could go. They said if you accepted me, and were willing to repeal the ban, they would allow me to gift you something, or rather...someone...from Avalon. You see, it's bad if someone resurrects a dead person from Earth, but if it's someone from Avalon...it's a little different. The wager was, I could resurrect, or rather...have THEM resurrect a loved one of yours, if you truly loved me and wanted to repeal the ban on magic. If I hadn't received the kiss in a week, then they would pick either Gaius or my Mother to die. I was so sure of you, that I took the wager."

"Wait...who...who did you pick?" Arthur asked breathlessly.

As soon as he asked it, Gaius slammed open the door with a pale face. "S-S-Sire...I...you...have a-" He then saw Merlin alive and he fell to his knees. "-he's alive. I..." He seemed to remember why he was there and swiftly brought himself to his knees. "Sire...you have a visitor."

"Let her in, Gaius." Merlin smiled. "I know who it is. The Gods in Avalon and I had a wager. I won." Gaius' jaw dropped at this, but he nodded nonetheless and he looked to whoever it was and waved a hand for the person to enter.

When she entered, Gaius closed the door, and Arthur's heart pounded in his chest. "M-Mother." He said with a heartfelt force of breath.

"Oh, Arthur!" She said as she made her way to him and wrapped her arms around him. "You better marry this young man." She said to him with a teasing smile.

"I've already said yes." Merlin stated with a wide grin.

"Oh! Good! Oh, darling..." She said as she left Arthur's grasp to look at Merlin. "...allow me to know you, please? I wish to know of all your adventures with my son. The good and the bad. Also, I want to help pick out your royal clothes. Blue and silver come to mind when I think of the colors for you. Won't you, please?"

"Of course, My Lady." Merlin smiled.

"Oh, enough of that! You can just call me Ygraine. I do remember you, though. You were there with Arthur when Morgause summoned me from Avalon! I also briefly witnessed you stopping Arthur from killing his father. Thank you."

"No thanks necessary." Merlin tried to get up, but he hissed in pain.

"Oh...let me." She said after Merlin fell back on his bed. She lifted up his shirt and held a hand over it. Soon, there was a glowing golden and green light, and the wound closed, leaving a scar in its wake.

"How?" Arthur asked as he looked wide-eyed and curious at his mother.

"Do you really think I could be friends with a High Priestess of the Old Religion and not learn just a little bit of magic? She taught me healing magic. The only downside to healing magic, though, is you can't use it on yourself."

"Mother...are you really really here? Or...will you leave again?"

"Ah, well, along with the bargain...came a link between my life and Merlin's. I will live as long as he lives. If he dies, then I die. Simple as that. Thankfully, they didn't make us linked by emotion, minds, or souls. Just life force."

"You...know so much about magic." Arthur whispered in awe.

"My best friend was Nimueh, so...yes. Oh, my darlings, there is so much we need to discuss. For now, I think we need to explain to your friends how I've returned. When Gaius said my name, the four men in the room looked pale and confused as well. Especially since I appeared in a bright golden light."

"Right..." Merlin nodded in agreement before he stood up. He then walked out to his friends, who then tackled him to the ground.

"MERLIN!" They shouted.

"We thought we lost you!" Lancelot said as he helped Merlin sit up.

"Too stubborn to die, eh, Merls?" Gwaine laughed out through his tears as he ruffled Merlin's hair.

"Nah, they sent him back, because he talked their ear off!" Percival bellowed with a laugh.

"My money says that they lost a bet." Leon grinned in a joking manner, but then Merlin smiled at him.

"Actually, you're right. We had a bet, and I won. The woman you saw, was Arthur's mother. If they won, then they would choose either Gaius or Hunith to take as compensation for my life, and if I won, I would get to choose a loved on of Arthur's to bring back with me. She's alive, well, and immortal like me. We all have a lot to talk about. There's a lot that's going to change as well, and I want to talk to all of you about everything!"

"We're ready to listen, Merls..." Gwaine said as they all helped Merlin to his feet. "...but you need some rest, and I take it...you and Arthur are..."

"He asked me to marry him and I said yes." Merlin nodded with a sad expression to Gwaine. "Sorry, Gwaine."

"Hey, I did say I'd give you time. I suppose this was my answer. I wish the two of you the best, and I will be more than happy to be your knight in shining armor any day..." He smiled before he knelt down to one knee with his head bowed. "...my king."

"Wait...did...Gwaine propose to you?" Lancelot asked with a risen brow.

"He did." Merlin nodded. "He told me he'd give me time, then ran away before I gave him an answer, and yeah, you're right. I need some rest, and I don't think Arthur is going to let me sleep in my room now."

"Not a chance." Arthur said as he stood next to his mother. He then turned to her, and smiled. "Mother, I can have one of the servants open a room for you."

"That would be wonderful, Arthur. Thank you. We should all talk about everything tomorrow."

* * *

Months after everything was explained to not only the knights of the round table, but the council and the people of Camelot as well, Arthur sent word to Hunith and told her that he and Merlin would be getting married, and she would be given the title of Lady Hunith, and be allowed to live in the castle.

After she began her life in the castle, Hunith became fast friends with Ygraine as they shared embarrassing stories about their sons.

Eventually Merlin and Arthur married, and no one in all the kingdoms had ever seen a more joyous marriage. The druids helped with celebration as they made lights, entertainment, food, and played music. Merlin entertained some of the children he saw, and it was a wonderful wedding.

Just as the festivities were coming to an end, Morgana appeared, causing all of the celebration to screech to a halt. She looked left and right at everyone, and it escaped no one's notice that she did not bring an army with her. "What is SHE doing here?" Gwaine asked as he readied his sword at Merlin's side, because as promised, he became Merlin's knight in shining armor, assigned by King Arthur.

"I invited her." Arthur stated, which shocked even Merlin.

"Hello, Dear Brother. I laughed at your invitation, but with how Merlin is dressed, and the fact that I've seen people use magic and they haven't been burned yet, it must be true. You've repealed the ban." Her hair was a mess, her dress was no more than tattered rags, and her shoes were torn so badly, that some of her toes were revealed. Her skin was paler than anyone had ever seen it, her eyes tired and weary, and her form thinner than Arthur had ever seen it. She had a large bag on her back that seemed to be heavy, but it didn't seem to bother her. "Is Emrys here? I assume he is."

"Yes, I am." Merlin stated. "I'm Emrys. Good evening, Morgana. I wasn't aware you would be joining us."

"You..." She breathed out in a shuddering voice. "...but...but...I've seen you! You were an old man!"

"An aging spell." Merlin shrugged. "It takes a lot out of me, but it works when pretending to be an old man becomes necessary."

"Well, that WOULD make sense on some things." She nearly spat, but it was obvious to everyone that she was trying to control herself. "So, you didn't know I was coming. Arthur telling you lies already, is he? What exactly did he make you king of?"

"I'm his husband." Merlin stated. "If he wrote to you, I'm sure he included that information."

She nodded. "He did. Why invite me?"

"That's actually a good question." Merlin said as he turned to Arthur.

"Magic is no longer banned in Camelot. Magic is welcomed, and everyone should be offered the chance to use it for good. I wanted to extend that chance to her, because I remember a time when she WAS good. I believe she can be again if she so chose."

"And if not?" She challenged.

"Then I would give you two days to leave Camelot. You can formulate your next plan, and we will stop you. The chance has been offered. It's up to you to take it."

"Arthur, don't be so rude." Ygraine said as she walked away from the druids and towards them. "If you're giving a chance, you should offer it kindly."

"Who is this woman?" Morgana asked. "She looks familiar."

"I'm Arthur's mother." She smiled. "Nimueh was my best and childhood friend. She taught me some magic as well. Mostly healing and temperature control magic, but it was helpful."

"She's telling the truth, Morgana." Merlin stated as he noticed the heavily skeptical expression on Morgana's face. "I was killed and my soul went to Avalon. The Gods and those who lived in Avalon were furious, and demanded I take revenge on the one who killed me, since it went against my destiny. I told them no. We made a wager. If I won, I got to choose a loved one of Arthur's to bring back to life. If they won, they would choose either Gaius or my Mother to join me in Avalon. Needless to say, I won."

"So...magic...is really accepted in Camelot now? With YOU on the throne?" She asked Arthur.

"With both of us..." He said as he draped an arm over Merlin. "...on the throne. He is also my court sorcerer. So, will you accept the chance to use your magic for good? It doesn't have to be for the good of Camelot. You can go wherever you want, but all I ask...is that if you ARE in Camelot, you do not harm her people or those in the castle."

"I...I think it would be foolish at this point to not accept. If I try and attack you or take the throne, what would I be doing it for now? Magic is accepted and welcomed. It's what I wanted. I just thought...it would be with me on the throne. The prophecy though...says Emrys will be my doom."

"Prophecy..." Merlin began with a sly smile. "...is a funny thing. Perhaps you'll be doomed to suffer lessons in magic from me. Perhaps you'll be doomed to suffer me being overly affectionate to Arthur. Perhaps you'll be doomed to suffer my endless talking about him. Perhaps you'll be doomed to a lifetime of regret for the wrongs you've done to me and Arthur. Who knows? Prophecy and destiny are one thing, but what we do with the knowledge of them...is another. Since you accept the chance..." Merlin whispered a string of words as he waved a hand at Morgana.

Her body slowly began to look fuller, her skin cleaner and healthier, her hair was clean, brushed, and shining with beautiful double braids that made a crown around the sides and the back of her head while the other luscious locks of hair draped over her shoulders and back. Her dress changed completely to a beautiful green and gold dress with see through sleeves that draped loosely at the wrists. The language of the Old Religion written along the collar, saying, 'Forgiven and beautiful, but still repenting'. He knew she could read it, and he didn't really care. He restored and healed her. "This..." She began as she looked at herself. "...isn't a glamour. This...you really healed me and changed my appearance."

"New beginnings should be beautiful." He smiled. "I'm sorry for how I've hurt you, Morgana."

"I'm sorry, too, Merlin." She smiled tentatively, but everyone could tell it was honest.

"It will take some time for everyone to trust you again." Arthur stated plainly and honestly.

"I am aware. I don't deserve their trust in the first place. Ah, but...perhaps...this might help?" She took the bag off of her back and gave it to Merlin.

Merlin took it and set it down gently, unsure of the contents of the bag. When he opened it, he gasped with wide open eyes at what was inside. "I...I thought that Aithusa was the last!"

"Evidently not. I found these when I decided to go for a stroll on a beach that was actually near Ealdor, and there was a glowing blue light in a cave. There were a bunch of people there, so I released them and urged them to leave the cave and go back to their homes. I went in deeper, and that's when I found these. I couldn't believe it. Three dragon eggs in a cave."

Merlin marveled at the sight of them. A green one with shimmering hints of blue, a golden one with accents of white, and a red one with spots of faded black here and there. "I should call Kilgharrah."

He did just that and soon Kilgharrah landed with Aithusa at his side. "What is the witch doing in Camelot, Merlin?" He asked.

"She's been given a second chance." Merlin said with a smile. "We all deserve one. Even she. She has also brought us your entire race's second chance."

"Impossible. Aithusa is the last."

"Not anymore. Look." Merlin said as he delicately took out all three eggs and set them down.

"I am speechless." Kilgharrah said after he lowered his head to the small delicate eggs. "Name them, Emrys. Name them, and let this be an even bigger cause for celebration!"

Merlin nodded and he felt his power within him as he hovered a hand over the red and black one. "A girl." Merlin smiled. He then looked at Ygraine and his smile widened as he remembered that she stated who her best friend used to be. "Nimueh!" He whispered with a dragon-like voice. When the egg hatched, it revealed a dragon with blood red wings, paws, and tail while the rest of the body was black.

He hovered over the golden one and laughed. "Well, this one is special." He smiled up at Kilgharrah and whispered harshly, yet kindly, "Katriss Y' Katross" When the egg hatched, it showed two dragons. They were smaller than the red one, but their colors were perfect opposites of each other. The golden one had silver wings, and silver patches on her neck and face, but the rest of her was golden. That one was Katriss. The other was silver, and had golden patches in the same place instead. His name was Katross.

Merlin hovered his hand over the final one. The green one, and he nodded his head. "Em'rald." He whispered in the dragon tongue, and a dragon with shining bright green scales cracked through the egg just before tumbling towards Merlin. He had no wings. He had the rest of the characteristics of a dragon, but he had no wings. The ones from the golden egg and the one from the red egg rushed to Merlin's side, but Em'rald pranced towards Arthur and slithered up his leg and back until he gently wrapped his long body around Arthur's neck, and snuggled next to Arthur's cheek. "I think...we know who his favorite is."

"A wingless dragon is rare!" Kilgharrah stated in awe. "They are most connected to nature, healing magic, and can assist in reincarnation when the time is right. I will train them well, Merlin. You have my word, but I'm almost certain the green one will need to stay with you as he has made himself comfortable with Arthur. Celebrate everyone. This is the dawn of a new age for all!" With that, Kilgharrah said something in his language before he and Aithusa scooped up the new little ones, and carried them off.

The celebrations restarted in full swing, and Morgana stuck close to Merlin for some semblance of comfort. She congratulated Arthur and Merlin on their wedding, but by the end of the night, she couldn't stand it anymore. She had to ask. "So...Arthur...Merlin...will you be naming an heir anytime soon?"

"Oh, no. I explained to Arthur something I can do." Merlin chuckled lightly. "I can transform myself into a woman in every sense of the word if I want to, and we can have a child that way."

"That's awfully convenient." She gawked.

"It is." He nodded. "Welcome home, Morgana. I hope you use your second chance for good."

"I...intend to." She nodded sheepishly as she stopped in front of the door that would be her room. "Thank you...again."

"You're welcome." He whispered in relief. "Goodnight, Morgana."

"Goodnight." She smiled. "Oh, and I expect a niece soon." Arthur and Merlin tensed at that and looked at each other. She laughed free and happy as she went into her room, and for the first time in a long time, Camelot once again knew the taste of freedom thanks to the reveal of scars, and the giving of chances.


End file.
